The Bungalow, Kochi — Heritage Homestays (Part 3)

    The effortlessly quaint little home of Neema and Capt. Francis Veliyath, The Bungalow, rises above the lush foliage around Fort Vypeen in Kochi. Their 90-year-old home was erected by Neema’s great-grandfather Joseph Puthepurackal, who was the first native manager at a British-run firm. Speaking about her heritage home, Neema says: “Francis was in the merchant navy and the family … Continue reading →

Stopover — Pratap Palace, Pushkar

  Because of their immense religious and cultural significance, the twin-towns of Ajmer and Pushkar, are teeming with tourists almost the entire year, save for the blazing summer months of May and June. While Ajmer is famous for the dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisht, Pushkar on the other hand is known for the annual … Continue reading →

Homing in with Monisha Bajaj

By her own admission, fashion designer Monisha Bajaj is a content woman. The morning I visit her home in Sushant Lok, Gurgaon, she wears a casual cotton dress and wedges; no make-up, and her long hair deliciously disheveled. As one of India’s well-known luxury prêt designer, that’s rare to come by. Equally refreshing is her … Continue reading →

Royal Heritage Haveli — Heritage Homestays (Part 2)

  It’s hard to believe that this two-storey haveli was built in the 18th century as a hunting lodge because it’s now in the heart of Jaipur (the Khatipur Road). But step inside and you would never guess you were in a bustling metropolis. The centuries-old heritage property offers 12 suites and has elaborate wall murals and period furniture. … Continue reading →

Biksthang Heritage Farmhouse — Heritage Homestays (Part 1)

  If you want to get away from it all, the Biksthang Heritage Farmhouse in West Sikkim is just about as far away from it all as it gets. It’s 126km from Gangtok and almost the same distances to Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri. You can spend the day gazing at Mt Kanchanjunga which gazes … Continue reading →

Of Film Financing and Bending the Rules — Getting to Know A V T Shankardass

It is a crisp afternoon in early summer and we are talking crunching numbers, in between, admiring the views of Lutyens’ Delhi atop the eighth floor of the Taj Mahal Hotel. A V T Shankardass, 35, Hollywood’s film financier and fund manager points out the Bahai Temple to Gurinder Chadha, 58, the London-based filmmaker of … Continue reading →

Shanghai: Morphing Metropolis

Fueled by the success of the 2010 World Expo, Shanghai is a formidable name in the international meetings industry Continue reading →

Babymoon Destination Themes

Once you make up your mind regarding the all-important vacation, the babymoon, here are some destinations, together with my recommendation of hotels, that you can opt for. Continue reading →

Did Someone Say Babymoon?

For a gypsy feet, giving up on travel is a sacrifice that you make before you embark on new-parenthood. Being barefeet and pregnant myself, I decided to pen down my own experience and some shared wisdom about the last-kidless-hurrah – the babymoon – that you ought to take before your bundle of joy arrives. Here’s how you do it. Continue reading →